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For individuals who are interested in saving money and reducing emissions and dependence on foreign oil, 12 volt solar battery chargers are a surprisingly simple and versatile alternative. If you’re interested in learning more about solar battery chargers, please read on.

The simplest type of battery charger functions by simply supplying a battery with electricity of a specific voltage. The battery placed in the power supply, and disconnected after it’s fully charged. A 12 volt battery can be recharged in a 15-18 volt power supply. The price of this system’s simplicity, though, is that it’s easy to overcharge the battery.

An overcharged battery’s life is likely to decrease. A badly overcharged 12 volt battery can even lose its ability to hold a charge. However, you can use a charge controller, which will ensure that the necessary voltage is used and prevent the battery from being overcharged. A charge controller is just as necessary when you’re using a 12 volt solar charger, as it will allow you to leave a battery connected throughout the day without the possibility of overcharging.

For 12 volt batteries, the Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) type of charge controller is the most popular one. A PWM charge controller works by, in a sense, flipping a switch on and off very quickly. The switch spends more time in the “on” position at the start. As power is transferred to the battery, the amount of time the switch spends deactivated increases, until the battery is fully charged, and then the switch remains off permanently. The charging process is handled by a microprocessor chip. Thus, you can leave this type of charge controller plugged into a battery indefinitely, since it will only send electricity to the battery when needed, without any risk of overcharging. When you have a battery that you might not necessarily use all the time, you can take make use of this type of “trickle charging” in order to make sure that the battery is fully charged and ready whenever you want to use it. If you’re using a 12 volt solar charger, it’s good to have a feature like this. 12 volt batteries for boats and RVs are often charged in this way, for example.

A 12 volt solar charger is just that simple. What differentiates a 12 volt solar charger from a regular battery charger is the power source. Solar battery chargers generate power with the use of a solar panel rather than from a wall outlet.  Many people are now building their own DIY solar panels.  You can get more info by clicking on DIY Solar Panel.

Usually, solar panels used on houses have 1/2 volt and 3-4 amp solar cells. If you’re using this type of cell, you’ll need to use a number of them to generate the 15-18 volts needed to charge a 12 volt battery. These kinds of solar panels do come in a variety of different voltages. The charger will work properly when you match the voltage of the solar panel to your charge controller. The correct voltage is indicated by the voltage rating, which is shown on every charge controller. If you’re not using a charge controller, it’s best to use a solar panel of 15-18 volts. Just remember to use the required voltage if you are using a charge controller.  GreenDIYEnergy is the best guide to building your own 12 volt solar charger.  If you’re interested, check out Green DIY Energy.

Depending on the controller, the best way to wire it to the solar panel can differ. Find out the type of connector used on your charge controller, and solder one of the same type onto the solar panel. If you aren’t using a charge controller, use the kind of connector that’s on the battery instead. Spring loaded clamps work well with most large 12 volt batteries. For people who would prefer not to solder, you aren’t absolutely required to solder (although this type of soldering is really easy even if you’ve never done it before); it is possible to just twist the wires together and use electrical tape. A soldering iron and solder, which you can get cheap at places like Radio Shack, are all you’ll need to do this. Just twist the wires together, use the soldering iron on the wires, and touch the solder to the wires until it melts. You just have to be sure not to burn yourself, and to heat the wires, not the solder, with the soldering iron – the solder is then melted by the heated wires.  Another guide to building your own 12v solar charger that I recommend is Homemade Energy.  If you’re interested, take a look at Homemade Energy.

That’s all you have to do! If you can do that, you can put together a 12 volt solar charger without any problems. A 12 volt battery is the first thing you’ll need. Paying attention to the matching voltage, you’ll also want a charge controller. The solar panel, which you can buy or build yourself, should also output the same voltage. Then, just connect the solar panel to the charge controller, then connect the charge controller to the battery as outlined. That’s it; now, you’ve got free power forever! By using solar energy instead of oil to charge your battery, you’re helping cut pollution and dependence on foreign oil, and saving yourself a lot of money in the long run.